Web widgets could transform TV
As the traditional television broadcast model struggles to live up to its looming digital-only deadline, TV manufacturers are blazing forward at a pace that threatens to leave cable companies and broadcast outlets in the dust.
We've already discussed Netflix streaming movies directly to TVs. Now even more players are entering the TV convergence playing field.
Yahoo's web widgets for TVs – small Internet-connected applications such as weather and news feeds – have been on the horizon since last August. But details have only surfaced recently. PC Mag reports that Samsung has struck a deal with Intel and Yahoo to embed the technology in select TVs. The service, branded as "Internet@TV," will use ethernet connections to deliver content from Flickr, Yahoo news and finance, USA Today, YouTube, eBay, Showtime, and others.
TV maker Vizio will go a step further with wi-fi connected TVs. Gizmodo reports that the new sets can connect to Amazon, Blockbuster, Netflix video-on-demand, Pandora radio, Hulu videos, and the full line of Yahoo widgets.
